Employers everywhere are using AI – but business schools aren’t preparing students for the shift
Amid the rise of AI, researchers found that employers still value skills like communication, professionalism and teamwork among prospective and new employees.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a staple in routine business operations across various industries, replacing human tasks such as drafting emails, answering customer calls, and even generating forecasts. Drexel University business professors have examined the impact of AI on higher education and the workplace. While much focus has been on teaching students to use AI responsibly, recent findings reveal that other skills remain crucial for entry-level workers to succeed and progress in their careers.
Employers surveyed ranked communication, professionalism, teamwork, reliability, and critical thinking as the most valued qualities in recent graduates. However, entry-level work no longer serves as a traditional apprenticeship where graduates learn from experienced colleagues through hands-on tasks. Instead, new employees may begin their jobs by reviewing AI-generated work, such as forecasts or campaign ideas, rather than creating these elements from scratch.
As a result, business schools need to reconsider their approach to preparing students for the evolving job market. Rather than solely focusing on teaching AI usage, schools must now equip students with the ability to work alongside AI, question its outputs, and recognize when human judgment is necessary. By integrating AI into curricula while maintaining a focus on human judgment, business schools like Drexel University's LeBow College of Business are better preparing students for a future where AI plays an increasingly significant role in decision-making processes.
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